Hello, Rayne! Thank you for your warning about Facebook's coming use of AI. I've grown accustomed to Meta's trickery over the years like not sharing anything that looks like a book promotion and have adopted some strategies. For example, instead of posting a link to a new book I create a postcard sort of thing that usually includes the cover, the link and a blurb. I might have to rethink that, too. I so enjoy hearing about your life in Bulgaria. Best, Juliet
Yes. I’ve always had the impression that Facebook is tricking and exploiting its users on many levels, and this is another example - perhaps the worst. It’s disgusting. It was difficult enough when we had to protect our intellectual property and our creative work on Facebook. Now we have to protect them AGAINST Facebook, and that’s just sickening.
The flowers are amazingI Isn't it funny what we label weeds and try to replace with other plants. I've tried to add local plants to my potted garden... I now have three eldeberry bushes! They are getting big and I'm so excited.
I wish my cats could walk with me, but long ago I moved to a town/city. It's too dangerous.
I love how you can walk outside and get breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I used to do that as a kid. I'd grab a saltshaker and go outside...pick a big fat tomato off the vine and eat it sun hot. We didn't use chemicals/poisons either. I miss that life.
I read the first version of the book and loved it, and I can't wait for the new version to come out. I will certainly help amplify it's arrival. Can't wait!- Toni
When I lived in England, my cat Sulu didn't want to go for walks with me. (I tried taking him, using a leash, but he just didn't want to.) Now in Bulgaria, he really enjoys our walks, although only when the weather suits him. He doesn't like hot sunny afternoons, because his black coat gets too warm.
Today, I picked apricots for breakfast and mulberries and cherries for lunchy. Yumm! They taste so much better than store-bought fruit. Homegrown tomatoes are much more flavoursome that supermarket tomatoes, too.
If you could help me spread the word about Storm Dancer in its new edition, this would help. Would you like me to send you the new version, so you can read it?
Sometimes I play a mental game in which I invite one of my fiction characters to share my day. How would Dahoud react to the life I live? I think he'd be astonished at the relative abundance of water, and he'd appreciate the lush green of my garden, and all the fruits. He'd certainly enjoy the varied food - though he probably would be puzzled as to why I choose a vegetarian diet! :-D
All my life, I daydreamed up my heart project. Whenever I was in a boring situation, riding a bus, standing in line, I would mentally check out and spend time with my characters. This started in middle-school, I think. Though it could have been earlier.
I grew up in the country with not many people around. So I spent a lot of time with my characters over the years. But they didn't hang out with me in my world- I was an invisible observer of theirs.
When I started to write out my heart project, after the first initial gush where I couldn't write fast enough to keep up with the stories, I found that writing everything down had the unexpected effect of making me more present in my daily life. And now that I write regularly, that has definitely happened.
I like the idea of inviting them for a day to see what they would think of my life. That is a whole other ball of wax - not a thing that I have ever entertained. It sounds like fun, and in an odd way would be great character development!
I might be wrong, but I see Dahoud's story and world as your heart project, just like Laos and the Agelleinah are mine.
Hi Rayne. I don't think I've ever read Storm Dancer yet. I focused on your writing advice books, and they helped me very much with my own self-published drama, Fate's Apology. Even the covers are similar, in that they show the protagonist with a weapon, looking threatening. It also has dark themes, situations, and language that are not for everyone. So I am saying YES, I would love to read your re-write of Storm Dancer and leave a review! I only ask in return that, if you please, you also read Fate's Apology and do the same. Let's do this! :)
Hi Abby, I’d be interested to take a look at your book . I can’t promise that I’ll review it - first I want to see if it’s the kind of book I’d enjoy reading. Second, we mustn’t break any rules. Review swaps are against the rules of just about any bookselling and book-reviewing site. Of course, if you choose to review my book, and I choose to review yours, that’s not against the rules. We just can’t have a trade. :-) How shall we go about arranging the review copies? Do you have my email address?
You said "I want to see if it’s the kind of book I’d enjoy reading". It does have a several-chapter preview on Amazon, if that's helpful. I've already started reading your book's preview. :)
I understand your concern with review swap rules. I will still be happy to read your book even if you choose not to read mine. Let's continue the arrangement through email. I know we've emailed in the past, but it was some time ago during the halcyon Twitter days, so an update is necessary. :)
Thank you for this insight into your life as a writer. I, too, pursue this master craft and although it gets lonely, I wouldn’t want to do anything else!
As an introvert, I find alone-ness a blessing. I can be without human contact for days, and don't miss it. When I want contact with humans, I like to communicate with other writers, and that's easy in the internet age.hen we can communicate with other writers, and even collaborate with them. It's great to be able to exchange thoughts and feedback with writers all over the world.
Multiple storylines - like in 'a Game of Thrones' but focused on fewer characters :-) Including about an evil version of a Djinn that takes hold of Dahoud.
The cover picture for Storm Dancer suggests a pirate story to me. He seems to be the main character but I'm not sure whether as hero or villain. Maybe another small element would make that clearer? For example, a small objet important in the plot, or a tiny image of the woman who helps him.
Hi Rayne. Love your flowers. Unfortunately your book doesn't sound like one I would enjoy reading so I won't be offering to review it. I do envy your life although I am quite close to it here in my garden in the middle of Ireland.
Have you noticed that I have now begun using my substack account to post some Irish history? I intend to follow it, beginning in June, with a series of posts about my past , each post using a word beginning with a different letter of the alphabet.
It's good to know that my flower photos are popular, this makes it worth posting them.
You're right not to review a book you're not personally interested in. It's good that we all have different interests and tastes.
I'm following you on Substack, if only to get a break from the constant barrage of US-political hate posts which dominate SubStack these days. I know very little (almost nothing) about Irish history, and it will be interesting to learn a bit.
Thank you Rayne, Facebook is becoming less and less user friendly, as it whittles away at our intellectual property rights. This AI just makes it easier and faster for them. So, my thanks for another reason to not trust Facebook.
Hello Rayne. To me your cover does imply Dahoud could be very dangerous and adept, but protective. . . Not so much. If you were to place a person behind him, with one arm placed across the front of them as if he’s shielding that person, the image you’re after might be a little more visually explanatory. Just a suggestion. Hope it will help you figure it out. Love ur how to writing books, by the way. Did u ever find a writing partner? Best to you.
Hello, Rayne! Thank you for your warning about Facebook's coming use of AI. I've grown accustomed to Meta's trickery over the years like not sharing anything that looks like a book promotion and have adopted some strategies. For example, instead of posting a link to a new book I create a postcard sort of thing that usually includes the cover, the link and a blurb. I might have to rethink that, too. I so enjoy hearing about your life in Bulgaria. Best, Juliet
Yes. I’ve always had the impression that Facebook is tricking and exploiting its users on many levels, and this is another example - perhaps the worst. It’s disgusting. It was difficult enough when we had to protect our intellectual property and our creative work on Facebook. Now we have to protect them AGAINST Facebook, and that’s just sickening.
Hi Rayne,
The flowers are amazingI Isn't it funny what we label weeds and try to replace with other plants. I've tried to add local plants to my potted garden... I now have three eldeberry bushes! They are getting big and I'm so excited.
I wish my cats could walk with me, but long ago I moved to a town/city. It's too dangerous.
I love how you can walk outside and get breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I used to do that as a kid. I'd grab a saltshaker and go outside...pick a big fat tomato off the vine and eat it sun hot. We didn't use chemicals/poisons either. I miss that life.
I read the first version of the book and loved it, and I can't wait for the new version to come out. I will certainly help amplify it's arrival. Can't wait!- Toni
When I lived in England, my cat Sulu didn't want to go for walks with me. (I tried taking him, using a leash, but he just didn't want to.) Now in Bulgaria, he really enjoys our walks, although only when the weather suits him. He doesn't like hot sunny afternoons, because his black coat gets too warm.
Today, I picked apricots for breakfast and mulberries and cherries for lunchy. Yumm! They taste so much better than store-bought fruit. Homegrown tomatoes are much more flavoursome that supermarket tomatoes, too.
If you could help me spread the word about Storm Dancer in its new edition, this would help. Would you like me to send you the new version, so you can read it?
I will spread the word!
Spreading the word will be good and greatly appreciated!
You're making me hungry... can't wait to read the new version! Thank you!
Sometimes I play a mental game in which I invite one of my fiction characters to share my day. How would Dahoud react to the life I live? I think he'd be astonished at the relative abundance of water, and he'd appreciate the lush green of my garden, and all the fruits. He'd certainly enjoy the varied food - though he probably would be puzzled as to why I choose a vegetarian diet! :-D
All my life, I daydreamed up my heart project. Whenever I was in a boring situation, riding a bus, standing in line, I would mentally check out and spend time with my characters. This started in middle-school, I think. Though it could have been earlier.
I grew up in the country with not many people around. So I spent a lot of time with my characters over the years. But they didn't hang out with me in my world- I was an invisible observer of theirs.
When I started to write out my heart project, after the first initial gush where I couldn't write fast enough to keep up with the stories, I found that writing everything down had the unexpected effect of making me more present in my daily life. And now that I write regularly, that has definitely happened.
I like the idea of inviting them for a day to see what they would think of my life. That is a whole other ball of wax - not a thing that I have ever entertained. It sounds like fun, and in an odd way would be great character development!
I might be wrong, but I see Dahoud's story and world as your heart project, just like Laos and the Agelleinah are mine.
Hi Rayne. I don't think I've ever read Storm Dancer yet. I focused on your writing advice books, and they helped me very much with my own self-published drama, Fate's Apology. Even the covers are similar, in that they show the protagonist with a weapon, looking threatening. It also has dark themes, situations, and language that are not for everyone. So I am saying YES, I would love to read your re-write of Storm Dancer and leave a review! I only ask in return that, if you please, you also read Fate's Apology and do the same. Let's do this! :)
Hi Abby, I’d be interested to take a look at your book . I can’t promise that I’ll review it - first I want to see if it’s the kind of book I’d enjoy reading. Second, we mustn’t break any rules. Review swaps are against the rules of just about any bookselling and book-reviewing site. Of course, if you choose to review my book, and I choose to review yours, that’s not against the rules. We just can’t have a trade. :-) How shall we go about arranging the review copies? Do you have my email address?
You said "I want to see if it’s the kind of book I’d enjoy reading". It does have a several-chapter preview on Amazon, if that's helpful. I've already started reading your book's preview. :)
I've downloaded the sample now, thanks. Based on the cover, I wouldn't have been interested, but the description does whet my appetite. :-)
I understand your concern with review swap rules. I will still be happy to read your book even if you choose not to read mine. Let's continue the arrangement through email. I know we've emailed in the past, but it was some time ago during the halcyon Twitter days, so an update is necessary. :)
I've sent you a direct messaage. Substack has recently enabled direct messages, so this is good opportunity to try out this new function.
Thank you for this insight into your life as a writer. I, too, pursue this master craft and although it gets lonely, I wouldn’t want to do anything else!
As an introvert, I find alone-ness a blessing. I can be without human contact for days, and don't miss it. When I want contact with humans, I like to communicate with other writers, and that's easy in the internet age.hen we can communicate with other writers, and even collaborate with them. It's great to be able to exchange thoughts and feedback with writers all over the world.
The light eyes make him look like and Ifrit, the evil version of a Djinn. Is the story all about swordplay or are there other storylines?
Multiple storylines - like in 'a Game of Thrones' but focused on fewer characters :-) Including about an evil version of a Djinn that takes hold of Dahoud.
Then the cover conveys this. His head is a little small for his muscles. I think his neck needs to be longer or more prominent.
The cover picture for Storm Dancer suggests a pirate story to me. He seems to be the main character but I'm not sure whether as hero or villain. Maybe another small element would make that clearer? For example, a small objet important in the plot, or a tiny image of the woman who helps him.
Thanks. Dahoud is both the hero and the villain of the story. So I'm glad the cover gets this across. :-)
Hi Rayne. Love your flowers. Unfortunately your book doesn't sound like one I would enjoy reading so I won't be offering to review it. I do envy your life although I am quite close to it here in my garden in the middle of Ireland.
Have you noticed that I have now begun using my substack account to post some Irish history? I intend to follow it, beginning in June, with a series of posts about my past , each post using a word beginning with a different letter of the alphabet.
Best wishes
Frank
Hi Frank,
It's good to know that my flower photos are popular, this makes it worth posting them.
You're right not to review a book you're not personally interested in. It's good that we all have different interests and tastes.
I'm following you on Substack, if only to get a break from the constant barrage of US-political hate posts which dominate SubStack these days. I know very little (almost nothing) about Irish history, and it will be interesting to learn a bit.
Rayne
Thank you Rayne, Facebook is becoming less and less user friendly, as it whittles away at our intellectual property rights. This AI just makes it easier and faster for them. So, my thanks for another reason to not trust Facebook.
Post script. I would be willing to take a look at ur work if u still need readers.
Hello Rayne. To me your cover does imply Dahoud could be very dangerous and adept, but protective. . . Not so much. If you were to place a person behind him, with one arm placed across the front of them as if he’s shielding that person, the image you’re after might be a little more visually explanatory. Just a suggestion. Hope it will help you figure it out. Love ur how to writing books, by the way. Did u ever find a writing partner? Best to you.